Yep, I admit it ... I'm a an official "Wuss". I like a nice wide seat for LD travel. I can do a dirt bike seat ... but takes me about a week of tortured riding to "condition" my butt to the discomfort.

I can ride 10 hours on my Corbin, then get up and do it again the next day. Fact is, most ADV RTW riders still spend most miles on paved roads droning along. Seats are important in my view.

I read that Cycle World build article a while back (I subscribe to CW). I was re-reading it just now and thought "...man, they spent a whole lot of money on that bike." Then I noticed the first comment below:

"A lot of overkill on this bike. The most expensive of everything. Does it really need rim upgrades? The worlds most expensive bags. Notoriously expensive FMF muffler? If I was to build up this bike, the most I would spend my money on would be the larger tank. Add a DG muffler, open up the airbox. Go with a Wolfman Beta bag and buy the strap mount for my Fly Racing medium tank bag. Since I would be doing a lot of commuting with this bike I would stay with the stock gearing. But in all reality I need at least a 450 version of this bike.."

I pretty much agree with above comments. They must have spent close to $5000 usd. Cycle World, like most of our corporate owned bike mags, tend to Pimp for their advertisers ... and that's what we see here. Big time.
The $400 Dyno Jet box is the worst offender. Wastes fuel, does very little.

I prefer the big ADV Rider WR-R thread because once in a while one of those clowns actually get out and ride ... then you can hear first hand feed back, which I like, and I learn the most about the bike from those sorts of reports.

Very few LD ride reports on ADV featuring the WR250R. Only seen a few.

I also really liked your comments and your comparisons to your Dakar, which I've ridden several times. Good stuff.

I think everyone would love a 450 super trail (the WRR's marketing name). I certainly would so long the weight would not go up too much. The 2fitty is heavy enough for its displacement.

I'll probably keep the air box and pipe stock. Don't see the need for trips and I'm sick of wrenching.

Yep, not enough small light bikes around and tonnes of heavy adventure looking KLR's and beemers with big boxes like wings on the sides. Particularly here in NA. And met up with a few in south America winging about any patch of sand and even turning around on sections that turned out to be highlights for us. Time to ignore the adds saying you need 1100-650cc's and luggage rack and line their pockets. Time to buck the trend. Most newbies, like I did, still fall for the trap but wise up when they return and go lighter and smaller.

__________________
Tacos Tyring Travels.com

Interesting thread also.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...d.php?p=479475

__________________
Tacos Tyring Travels.com

This one too: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-17#post479545

Indeed. Heavy though. I'd take a DR in that case.

Rather than looking at it by percentage of terrain category of a planned route that often gets thrown it the window you might be better off to go for the tool most suited for the terrain that you're least familiar with.

The trip starts when you leave Europe or NA. Plans change then and the pace changes.

__________________
Tacos Tyring Travels.com

I have to agree.

A good seat is sooo important. You will never hate yourself more when your arse feels like chopped liver after month on an enduro seat and you're somewhere can you can do Jack shit about...

I'm getting mine gel packed, then an Airhawk... With a sheepskin on top.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Your forgetting the bubble wrap and parcel tape too...thought I'd been dragged to Brighton and seen to after riding a drz 500 miles in a day once..with the modification I managed Spain back to dieppe without the urge to jump under a lorry..

The drz seat is a lot firmer than the WRR. But seats are easily modded.

__________________
Tacos Tyring Travels.com

Sounds good, i just had the sheep skin on mine when i went to Hamburg and i think i need a bit more.
Is that to stop the piles from rubbing Ted
Sorry...just a bit of banter

Wayne

__________________
The Balkans
https://new.horizonsunlimited.com/poi_entity/8417

well hopefully that's the 250 story done to death

__________________
have fun with your helmet!

Yes, we all got a bit carried away on the 250 thing ... which you'd already said early on that you weren't interested in. Fair enough.

Not much to add as you are the rare guy who knows what's out there and has a good perspective on things overall. Nothing much more to suggest beyond Blagging a few test rides ... see what suits you.

That Trials training course will pay BIG dividends ... no matter the bike you end up on. Trials is the best training, IMO. Staying fit and working on aerobic conditioning helps too. I'm 65, still ride off road ... but no longer compete. (rode AMA Enduros for 8 years in my 40's)

If buying in the UK I think I'd go with a XT600E (air cooled version). Cheap ... and check the weight! Put some money into it ... could be OK! ?

The newer Tenere' could be OK too ... bit heavy. I'm not a fan of BMW or KTM. I've towed too many and loaded too many onto the break down truck to trust them outside the country. But that's just me ...

What about the BMW XChallenge, assuming you can find one?

If you're in the camp of wanting something more powerful/torquey yet as light or lighter than the DR650SE, there are only 3 options:
- KTM 690 Enduro R.
- BMW XChallenge/XCountry
- KTM 640 Adventure

If you want FI, that removes the 640A (if you can even find one). The KTM 690 R.. well, definitely a lot more prone than a DR650SE but there are several people riding it RTW. The 2014 got several improvements and may be a significantly more reliable bike now. Gun to the head, it'd probably pick that right now. The XChallenge (and its lower XCountry cousin) actually seems the closest to a true update/successor to the DR650SE but alas they are discontinued and they are really hard to find even in the US.

The hooligan choice though is the 408lb dry KTM 950SE...

anyhow, the sensible option is picking up a DR650SE in the US. I just dont feel like making a sensible choice!

The X Challenge is certainly a good option, especially if buying in the UK as DR650's are rare in UK/EU. X Chal's are probably pretty scarce too? Dunno.

For a while there were plenty for sale in US ... I nearly bought a virgin one ... but after a test ride I decided against. But clearly with a few good mods, it can be a SUPER good bike, and the X Country too, IMO.

I see the odd KTM 640 nearly every week on San Francisco Bay Area Craig's list. Adventures, dual sports, SM's, all kinds. Some good deals but most are older bikes from late 90's to early 2000's. I owned a the 640 dual sport in 2001, loved it off road. On road? Not so much ... and way too tall for me at just 5' 6". A friend currently owns a 2002 (I think) 640 Adventure, also really nice off road, but lots of problems with it and vibes BIG on highway. He never rides it now ... it sits and sits and sits. maybe he'd sell it? He's rich guy, has 6 or 7 bikes.


The X Challenge and X Country are both pretty good on road and a bit lighter than the DR650. You pays yer money, and takes yer chances!

[QUOTE=
That Trials training course will pay BIG dividends ... no matter the bike you end up on. Trials is the best training, IMO. Staying fit and working on aerobic conditioning helps too. I'm 65, still ride off road ... but no longer compete. (rode AMA Enduros for 8 years in my 40's)

If buying in the UK I think I'd go with a XT600E (air cooled version). Cheap ... and check the weight! Put some money into it ... could be OK! ?

The newer Tenere' could be OK too ... bit heavy. I'm not a fan of BMW or KTM. I've towed too many and loaded too many onto the break down truck to trust them outside the country. But that's just me ...

[/QUOTE]

Bought a trials bike off eBay. Beta Evo 250 and found a farm nr Kidderminster to have a play on. I can'y wait and may join a club if I take to it seriously or just use it to get some low speed (safe) off road practice with fitness and balance training thrown in for free then sell it when I get my travel bike.

On that topic I really like the look of the teneré but it's heavy as hell and costs virtually the same as the latest 2014 KTM 690 which beats the ten in every way apart from the tank! I don't want an old bike as I would end up spending a lot having the wiring replaced and bearings swapped. No I think I'd rather go newer but then the new KTM with a volume knob for a throttle and separately programmed twin plugs plus all those ride modes would leave me stranded if I encountered a minor breakdown.
The DR650 doesn't exist in the UK. Neither does the x challenge apart from the odd one which sells for a daft amount. I would probably go buy one from Germany if I went down that route.

Basically I just confirmed there is no ideal bike so I'll concentrate on falling off my Beta for the time being and leave the travel bike question time to answer itself. Leaning in the direction of the 2014 KTM 690 at the moment but ask me next week...

__________________
have fun with your helmet!